Page 13 - AEQUITAS VOL 2

05

THE EARTH HEARS

WHAT HUMANS HIDE

Author's Corner

Application In

Forensic

Investigation

Forensic seismology has wide applications
in security and criminal investigations.

One of its most important uses is the
detection of illegal nuclear tests. It is also
Name: Pragya Bhama
used to trace illegal mining and quarry
blasting, where unauthorised explosions

can be identified through their vibration
Introduction
signatures.

Another key application is in verifying the
Can the Earth itself act as a
magnitude and source of terrorist bomb
witness? This question is quite
blasts, helping investigators to confirm
interesting to know about how
whether an explosion was natural,
every explosion, whether natural or
accidental, or deliberately planned. In each
man-made, leaves behind invisible
of these cases, seismic waves provide
vibrations called seismic waves.
critical scientific evidence where human
These waves travel silently beneath
witnesses or physical traces may be absent.
the ground and oceans, carrying
hidden information about their
How by vibrations, can we identify the
source. Forensic seismology uses
truth?
this “language of the Earth” to

detect secret nuclear tests, illegal
In forensic seismology, the main evidence
mining activities, and even terrorist
comes from seismographs (instruments
bombings. Unlike traditional
that record ground vibrations). These
evidence that depends on witnesses
sensors capture underground wave
or physical remains, seismic data
patterns and create vibrations known as
acts as an unbiased scientific proof,
“signatures” that inform investigators
turning the Earth into a silent
about the origin of the blast.
observer of human actions.